Trommel



May 8, 1945- I c. c. HERBERT TROMMEL Filed Oct. 19, 1943 I 5 1 INVENTORv Patented May 8, T945 UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,375,552; 1"rnoMM ELf g y Charles o. Herbert, San Jos Calif.

iI lipplication dctober lfi,1943, Sei'ialNof50d909, I

Itis one object of the ,present invention toprovide a trommelconstructed and arranged to crushthe materialpassing therethrough and todeliver the same in condition for processing on a concentrating table.

. It is another object of th invention to provide a device of thecharacter indicated wherein the material operated upon is caused to movecontinuously through the same and iseifectually prevented from wedgingor clogging, a clear path of travel for said material being maintainedat all times.

It is also an object of the invention to provide I a device of thecharacter indicated wherein the dust raised by the operation of thecrushing means may be quickly and easily removed.

In this device as now conceived balls are used in the crushingoperation, and it is the intent of the present invention to providemeans whereby the balls are caused to advance through the the memberwith the discharge end of the, track .3, This member I has a slot 8.formed therein toextendthroughout its length in a position to trommeltogether with the material being operated upon, and to cause theautomatic return of the balls to the entrance of the trommel aftercompleting a journey through the same, while the said material isdischarged at the discharge end.

Finally it is an object to provide a device of the character indicatedthat will be economical to manufacture, simple in form and construction,strong, durable, and highly eflicient in its practica1 application.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a discharge end elevational view of helical groove or trackas 3 extending from the a receiving. end of the trommel to its dischargeend where it discharges upon a screen as 4 which rotates as a unit withthe shell I.

Axially mounted in the shell I through the medium of supporting arms 5is a hollow conical member 6 having its larger end disposed at thereceiving end of the shell I and its smaller end at the discharge end ofthe shell I, with a permit material received from the. track 3 id bedischarged on to the screen 4.

In each annular section of the spiral is placed a ball as 9 ofsufficient size and weight to perform its function properly, and in thelower side of the member and at the larger end thereof is formed anopening I0 sufiiciently large to permit the passage of a balltherethrough.

At spaced points throughout the length of the spiral track 3 are formedlifting-devices such as the platforms or sockets II, radially arrangedrelative to the center of the shell I, and formed in such a manner as tocarry a ball 9 upwardly a distance as the shell rotates and then permitit to fall down to the next lower shelf and with crushing force on thematerial therein. In the drawing six lifters are formed equally spacedabout each full turn of the spiral track, but they may be made in anydesired number or form and spaced as desired, so the balls may fall atunequal intervals.

Assuming the shell I to be rotating slowly in 9 in the lowermost socketsII are carried upwardly as indicated in dotted lines at I3, and then asthe shell revolves they roll off of their (respective shelves asindicated in dotted lines at I4 in Figure 4, and drop down into the nextsucceeding socket II. In the free and unobstructed. fall from one socketto the one fol lowing each ball acquiressufficient force to crush thematerial in the socket into which it falls.

This trommel is designed to be used particularly in placer mining wheremuch of the gangue consists of clay which requires further breaking downto release the particle or particles of gold which may be entrappedtherein, although it may be used equally successfully in the breakingdown and cleaning of any other type of ore.

I The continuous rotation of the shell I in same direction will,ofcourse, cause a continuous forward movement of the balls and thematerial flowing into the shell, but the continued pounding to which thematerial is subjected gradually I reduces it to very fine state ready tobe. passed over a concentrating table and the gold removed tubularmember I. connecting this latter, end of therefrom. As the crushed andpowdered material passes from the track 3 to the member I, the continuedrotation causes the said material to fall through theslot 8 to thescreen 4 where such larger particles as passed through the shell withoutsuflicient breaking are separated from the crushed and finishedmaterial.

Each rotation of the shell will also cause a ball to pass into themember I and thence roll to the conical member 6, where it rolls down tothe discharge opening 40 andis returned to track 3, and the cycle isrepeated Obviously, in a structure of the type described the materialentering at I2 is kept continually in motion and is 'efiectuallyprevented from clogging in any point during its path of travel, and thecontinual stirring which it receives as it flows from one socket to thenext permits every portion to be subjected continually tn the ra -endingaction of the balls.

A still further advantage of the operation as performed by this machineis that each time the mater alis pounced in ene racket ane then pouredback into the nextsoelret much the lightest and finest dust ismomentarily floated in the air and may be easily blown out of the shell.

with with its larger end terminating at the rece'iving end of thegroove, and said conical tube being provided with an opening at itslarger end disposed to discharge balls into the receiving end of thegroove,- and grinding balls freely movable in the groove, and thatportion of the groove merging with the tube being provided with meansfor discharging crushed material 'tnereirom on to the screen. H M g

